The spokesperson for the Socialist Group of La Gomera, Casimiro Curbelo, will focus his questions on improving the response to wildfires and on the effective update of advance payments from the regional government funding system.
He will argue that "territorial security and strong public services require planning, administrative agility, and a genuine commitment to the Canary Islands."
SATURDAY 9 MAY The Agrupación Socialista Gomera (ASG) Parliamentary Group will bring two issues directly linked to safety, territorial cohesion and the responsiveness of public authorities to the next plenary session of the Parliament of the Canary Islands: the permanent establishment of the helicopter base to support the EIRIF (Specialized Aerial Firefighting Unit) in La Gomera and the update of advance payments under the regional financing system.
First of all, ASG's parliamentary spokesperson, Casimiro Curbelo, will inform the President of the Government of the Canary Islands of the need to ensure that the update of the advance payments from the regional financing system takes place effectively, stably, and within appropriate deadlines to ensure the operation of essential public services.
It will emphasize the structural importance of these resources for autonomous communities such as the Canary Islands, where they account for nearly three-quarters of non-financial revenue and support key areas such as healthcare, education, and social policies.
Curbelo will warn that the delays and uncertainties in this area have created planning difficulties for both the regional government and local councils, especially on the non-capital islands, where the additional costs resulting from double insularity increase the pressure on public services.
"The debate should not focus solely on amounts, but also on the security and predictability with which resources arrive," argued the ASG leader, who called for mechanisms to avoid cash flow issues and enable stable planning of public policies.
In this context, he will insist that the Canary Islands need financial certainty to maintain the quality of essential services and to respond to the unique challenges arising from territorial fragmentation. "Social and territorial cohesion also depends on public authorities having sufficient resources in a timely manner and in the right form," he will argue.
A strategic infrastructure
At the same plenary session, Casimiro Curbelo will ask the Minister for Ecological Transition and Energy about the progress made in the permanent establishment of the helicopter base in the municipality of Alajeró, an infrastructure considered strategic for strengthening prevention and rapid intervention in the event of forest fires in La Gomera.
Curbelo will recall that this project began to be processed during the last legislative term and that, according to information provided by the regional government at the end of 2023, the technical document had already been drafted, although it was still awaiting approval from AENA.
The ASG parliamentary spokesperson will insist that the geographical and orographic reality of La Gomera necessitates permanent and nearby resources to enable a swift response to any forest emergency. "In fires, the first few minutes are crucial, and reducing response times can make the difference between a contained outbreak and a situation of serious risk," he will point out.
He will also argue that the future base should not be understood solely as an operational facility, but as a civil protection, prevention and security tool for the entire island, especially in light of the increase in extreme weather events and the high environmental value of the island of La Gomera.
It will emphasize that, in ASG's opinion, having a stable infrastructure in the south of La Gomera would make it possible to optimize the coordination of firefighting resources, improve the working conditions of personnel, and increase the ability to respond to emergency situations.
Curbelo will emphasize that both emergency prevention and regional funding share the same goal: "to guarantee equal opportunities, safety, and quality of life on all the islands, especially those facing greater structural challenges, such as La Gomera."
